Water wheel



Aug. 18, 1925. 1,550,593

J. M. STRICKLER WATER WHEEL Filed June 27, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lil l il 12 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug.Y 18, l1925- JACOB M. sTRIcKLEa, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

WATER WHEEL.

Application led J'uneV 27, 1923. Serial No. 648,085.

To all whom t may concern: f

Be it known'that I, JACOB'M. STRICIILER,

.a citizenA of the United States,` residingat Richmon'ch in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water Wheels, of which the following'is a specification, reference vbeing had to the accompanying drawings.

VThis invention relat-es to water,` wheels,

and particularly to turbine water Wheels.

which take the water lthro-ugh an upper gate,

.the flow o-f water being downward through the wheel and being regulated by a suitable valve orr register disposed at the upper end of the gate. i g

The general object of this present invention is to improve lthe construction of wheels of this character-bylproviding a water wheel having blades or buckets of such form that the flo-w off the water willimpac't against the wheel at .two points Vand thew-ater. will thenbe discharged againstV 'a series of abutments formed on the inside of the casing of the wheel whereby tov secure a Vreaction andV a propulsive effect upon the water wheel which would otherwise be virnpossible tosecure. 1 Y l Y A further Object .is to provide L Whe/e101:

this vcharacter so constructed that the centrifugal `action of the wheel discharges the water outward'. against .abutments to secure an impact between they wheel and the casing, thus securing twoV elements of force,

the blades or buckets `being' furthermore :so constructed as to cause a whirl ofthe water above the wheel, thusr'adding velocity tothe current of thev water and speed to the wheel. Other objects will appear in the course of thefollowing description. v n

My invention is illustrated in thev accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 isa vertical diametrical section through my improved water wheel;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of 4Figure 1 Figure 3 is a top plan view of the water wheel, the shaft 33 being in'section; y

Figure 4 is a section on` theline 1-4 of Figure 3; v Y

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the bladesof the wheel;

Figure 6 is a perspective View of another form of blade. Y y

Referring to ythese drawings, 10 desigiradially disposed spider 16.

Vnates the lower section of the wheel casing,

this section being approximately lcylindrical in form yand having the outwardly projecting flange 11. Mounted upon this flange vly, as at13.' Disposed upon this ring12 is the upper section 14 of the wheel casing, this upper section being formed with a flange 15 at its lower end-resting upon the ring 12. The flange 11 and the ring 12 may be bolted or otherwise connected to each other. The lower end of the section 10 is formed with a This spider carries a step bearingl. The spider may be integral with the lower section 10 of the casing or may be attached thereto in an suitable manner.

The upper section is formed as illustrated in Figure 1, with a'web 18 extending over the top of thexupper section and out lout to provide a plurality vof openings 19. These openings are. tangential` with relation'to a circle concentrieto .the axis of the casing `and theouter ends of the openings are wider than the inner endsV ofthe openings. These 18 to the wall of thesection 14.-..l The pori .Disposed uponA this Aweb andjoscillat'- ably mounted'thereon around the hub 20is a register gate, designated generally 23, having an annularhub 24C and aseries ofV tangential openings'25, each opening having the same area and iform. as .the-openings 19 and beingadapted tof register-therewith or to be shifted l out of register therewith.

'One wall '26 of each opening 25 is straight,

that is vertical, while the opposite wall is inclined or rounded downward and forward,

.as at 27.-- These Vfaces 27 act to direct the water downward and forward as it passes into the 'uppersection of the casing and the water directed downward and forward by the faces 27 is again directed in this manner by the roundedfaces 22 of the web 18 immediately beneath. n f

The register gate 23has a range ofoscillation such that when itis fully turned in Pm'mhlOFFICE;

openings extend from" the hub 20A of this web slot 36 and locked therein.

.23, I yprovidebn the `gate the downwardly projectingl etudsorlugs 28 .which operatein recesses 29 formed in theouter face of the .wall ofsection v14, these recesses having a lenOth exactly ,equal :to ,the width v-of the openings 19 at their outer ends. Theremay -be a .number of .these lrecesses .and a lnumber ofthe lugs 28 engaging in the recesses or the gatemay'be turned in anysuitable imanner but Ido not wish to be limited to this.

Iliave illustratechihowever, .the gateas hav-.

ling a pair Vof upwardly projecting pins30 with which a wrench may be engaged to opei the gate. This is .purely illustrative ai it will'be understood that lgearing-.might be provided for adjustingthe gate.

"Ihe'lower section of the turbine,.asbefore stated, is provided Vwith the-spider'16 andthe step bearing 17. The inner :face of this section is formed with .a plurality of .vertically extending shoulders .or abutments 31. In other words, the inner faceof thesection is formed like an'inte-rnal ratchet wheel Vso that the apex of .each .shoulder or abutment 31 andinclined face 32 ,extends ito the base Von the next adjacent shoulder .or abutment 31. These shoulders or abutments 31 face .away from the direction `in which the yrotor or wheel is to rotate.

Disposed through the center of the Icasing formed by the sections 130 and le is `a shaft 33. rIhis .shaft is .stepped within the bearing 17 and is supported .at its .upper end in the bearing 'formed in the cei'iter of the annular hub 9.0. I do not .wishto be limited to any particular form of bearing for this shaft. Mounted upon the shaft is a blade orbucketcarrier 3.4.which maybe supported in any suitable manner thereon and which is formed with .the downwardly .and .out-

wardly extending flange 35. At the .ju-nction of the .carrier 34e .with Aits flange 'there .are formed the sockets 36 having a dove-tail form. Attached to this runner, carrier or .e uivalent member 34: are a plurality .of

b ades 37, one .of which is illustrated in Figure 5. I do-not wish to be limited to the .exact form of blade shown, but I haveV illustrated a bla-de having a somewhat rectanguiar form, this blade being twisted in its length and provided upon its inside edge with the outwardly projecting lug 38 which is adapted to be received in .the .dovetailed rIlhe blade, as before stated, is twisted vand below the'lug the blade is widened, as at 39, and is formed with A.an `outwardly projecting flange 40. Theblade is supported at a. downward and outward angle.

The `water in .discharging through the apertures 19 and 25 strikes the upper por- ,tion ,of the blade, then strikes the flange 4:0 and is then discharged against the abut- `-ments .or .shoulders 3l. If the flanges 4Q were left olf the blades and there were no abutments 31, the downward movementof .the water would cause a rotation fof .the wheel formed by the runner and blades, but the flange 4() secures from the water an additional fimpelling power and this is .further Aincreased by the reaction of lthe water dashing ofi' of the flange Ll0 and the flower portion of the blade and `striking .the abutinents. I have found in actual practice vthat this fsecures the full force-of the .water .on 4the blades and that the .water after `it leaves :the :lower yend yof the casing -10 `is ldeadf all of its force havingbeen expended .against the wheel.

I have illustrated in Figure 6 .a slightly different form of blade, which I .have desi- Aignated .3T-a, butwhich is designed to attain the same end. rIhe difference between the blade 37a and the blade V3.7 simply lies .in the-manner in which the lower edgeof'the wr L-blade iscurved, as .at 37b, andthe fact that -the flange lOadoes not-.extend at right-.angles Ito the blade but .merges into Vthe blade.

It will be understood that .the .upperend :of the shaft 33 mayhave anysuitable cou plingorother .means whereby it may :be connected to a shaft to :be driven .by the shaft 33, but I do not wish to be limited to :any particular means for this end. Il have illus- -trat-ed a .conventional construction for this purpose. I have also illustrated .a ring 41 engaged lwith :the upper ends .of the outwardly .projecting portions .of the blades for the .purposeof 'holding these blades, this zring acting .to strengthen the blades.

In the Voperation of my mechanism, .the water passes vertically downward through .the .gate .openings fand then the column of water .strikes the upper V.ends of the buckets.

These upper ends do not extend radially out ward but at a slight inclination tothe radial, the upperI end of the .blade being slightly more -zforward than the inner end .of the blade. The blade is 'inclined downward and rearward to some extent, but as the blade eX- tends downward it always twists rearward and at its lower end is broadened. Above this lower .end there is ydisposed the inwardly ...extending member 13 with its beveled face. This contracts the area. of the passage-- .way :through which the water is .descending and causes the water to .be forced iilW-rd .at a fhigh speed and with an increase ,of pressure against the lower end of ,the upper por- --tion of the blade so tha-t the blade not only receives the downward limpact `of the water but it also receives the force exerted bythe inward movement of the-water in getting past this contracted opening 13.1' Below this opening the water moves downward and outward radially by reason of the curved twist at the lower portion of the b-lade and Vis discharged outward, as best .shown in Figblades which are first acted upon by the downward movement of the water and then by the outward and downward movement of the water and the `impact of the water against the inner face of the corrugated or toothed casing. The water as it enters the casing moves in the direction of the wheel, enters the blades gent-ly, and takes a gliding action, strikes the outer casing with force, and rebounds back against the incoming water, forming a shoving force n against the casing and runner. jThe force is then spent and the water has lost all its force when it leaves the casing. y v

While I have illustrated a certain definite construction which I believe to be particular-` ly effective, I do not wish to be'limitedv theretoy as it is obvious that many changes might be madefwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:- j n 1. In av Water wheel, an vouter casing,

`the upper and lower ends of the casing being formed with inlet and outlet openings respectively, a shaft extending into the casing, blades mounted upon the shaft, eachblade being so formed as to receive the impact of the descending water and direct the water outward against the wall of the casing, the wall ofthe casing being formed with a series of vertical shoulders against which the water from the blades is discharged and the apex of one shoulder being connected to the base'of the next shoulder by an inclined face, the shoulders being opposed to the direction in which the wheel is designed to move, the casing being formedv with an inwardly projecting annular flange above the lower portion ofthe blades, the upper face of the flange being inclined downward and inward.

2. A water wheel comprising a casing, the upper end of the 'casing having a series of sector-shaped openings extending outward from the center of the casing, the rear `wall ofjthey openingbeing vertical landthe forwardwall beingy downwardly and forwardly inclined, a register gate mounted upon the casingy over said openings and having openings of the same form and are-a as the openings in the casing, the forward wallofeach opening in the register gate being. downwardly and forwardly inclined' and the rear Wall being straight, means for oscillating said gate to control the .effective area of said openings in the casings, a shaft. passing downward lthrough the casing land supported in bearingstherein, a runner mounted upon the lower end of thefshaft, and blades carried by the runner, said blades being twisted and formed each at its lower end and outside edge with a rearwardly projecting flange, the inside face of the casing having a series of shoulders facing in the direction of rotation of the shaft and against which the water is caused to be directed by the flanges on the blades. v

3. A water wheel comprising a casing, the upper end of the casing having ay series of sector-shaped openings-extending outward from the center of the casing, the rear wall of the opening being vertical and the forward wall being downwardly and forwardly inclined, a register gate mounted upon the casing over said openings and having openings of the same form and area as the openings in the casing, the fonward wall of each opening in the register gate being downwardly and forwardly inclined and therear wall being straight, means for oscillating said gate to control the effective area of said openings in the casings, a shaft passing downward through the casing and supported in bearings therein, a runner mounted upon v the lower end of the shaft, and blades carried by the runner, said blades being twisted and formed each at its lower end and outside edge with a rearwardly projecting flange, the inside `face of the casing having a series of shouldersfacing in the direction of rotation of the shaft and .against which the water is caused to be directed by the flanges on the blades, thecasing havingan inwardly projecting annular flange disposed above the lower portions of the blades and .below the openin s in the upper ends of the casing, this ange being downwardly and centrally beveled upon its upperl face.

4. A'water wheel comprising a casing, the

to their lower portions, and the outer marupper =and lowerlends of the 'easing being formed with inlet .and outlet openings i'e- Spee/tively, lthe middle lof fthe @waving having lai .eontiweted rpoiftio-n, a shaft y extending into the fea'sing, and blades linofuufited :upon Ithe *lo Shaft, eaoh fbla-de .being so `i'oi-med esst-0 re- -leei-ve the-impact of the descending EW-t'er: 'at a vvSlight angle Ito the fdreetio'n of dthe Water and then to -dirfeet 'the l'Water .foutwrd v and downwrd against the Ilower lportion of the W'allv of the easing ndthe Wall of the 'Casing being -for'med :Withfa series vof Verticzil shoulders against EWlieh-thewater from-.the blades iefdisohaI-ged, `allof the iblades'hiwing relatively Ln'nrirow lupper `potions extending thro-ugh'the contracted-portion ofthe easing and relatively Wide lowerfportions extending outwardfneaifly to the `Wall ofthefcnsing.

`Intestnnony whereof I hereunto ax-finy L-signa-ture.

Moon M.y :STRICKLER 

